Well took a bit of a ride today up to my LHS about 50 plus miles or so one way. Haven't been up there in a while and wanted to pick up a some grade crossings from Blair Line that he had ordered for me a while back and I figured I might as well pick up a few other things while I was up there. So I figured well grade crossings need roads right. On the section that am working on I was planning on using Walthers Asphalt street system as I had used it before at the club and it worked out pretty well. So he didn't have the Walthers items but I did pick up a few rolls of this stuff called Mini Highways by Leisure Time Products. Well I don't know what I was thinking but they sure looked better in the package then they did after I opened them up and roll em out. Almost a light weight roofing felt with some yellow lines painted on them. The may work some where lese but not for my city scene so I was wonder what do you guys do for roads and streets?

I generally use .060" styrene sheet, cut to size and shape, and laid out to insure good fit, then spray painted concrete, or blacktop, then the lines are sprayed in. The finished sections are then permanently installed with water base contact cement, weathered, and the road shoulders built up.

Sumpter250 Wrote:I generally use .060" styrene sheet, cut to size and shape, and laid out to insure good fit, then spray painted concrete, or blacktop, then the lines are sprayed in. The finished sections are then permanently installed with water base contact cement, weathered, and the road shoulders built up.

I read some where perhaps in either MR or RMC about using styrene for streets but how do you cut it? It seems that every time I try and cut some of the .020 sheet styrene I have the cut edge never comes out sharp enough. Iuse a brand new #10 blade but the edge still doesn't look just right. I am contemplating using a large paper cutter that I have to see if I can get a more uniformed edge.

For cutting strip styrene or small sheets of styrene, an X-Acto blade works well enough, but for larger sheets, especially thicker ones, a utility knife is a better choice. Change or sharpen the blade often, as it will dull rapidly when used on styrene. For cutting sheets, score it a couple of times, then snap it along the score line. For a road, you'll not likely see the edges once it's been installed, but to clean-up the edges when constructing sidewalks, building walls, etc., I find that dragging the edges over a sheet of medium grit sandpaper works well. The stuff which I use has a very heavy paper backing, so it lies flat on the workbench, but for thinner sheets, tape it in place (grit side up, of course ).

Wayne

Allegheny2-6-6-6 Wrote:I read some where perhaps in either MR or RMC about using styrene for streets but how do you cut it? It seems that every time I try and cut some of the .020 sheet styrene I have the cut edge never comes out sharp enough. Iuse a brand new #10 blade but the edge still doesn't look just right. I am contemplating using a large paper cutter that I have to see if I can get a more uniformed edge.

If you are cutting with a blade or a rotary cutter (round "blade") you are actually displacing material, not removing it. The styrene is being pushed out of the way, which leaves that little ridge along the edge. Doctorwayne's clean-up technique is one way to remedy the situation. You can also drag an older blade sideways along the edge. This is not as neat, but works well and is quick for things like roads where the edge is likely to be hidden.

As for cutting with a shear-type paper cutter, I have not tried it, but would think that the edge would come out cleaner than with a blade. Same probably applies to a good sharp pair of scissors.

Andrew

The last time I modeled a paved road, I spread a thin layer of plaster, then painted it an asphalt color. I would lay some kind of "curbing" (usually strips of basswood) to serve as a both an edge and a screed to help keep the surface uniform and the edges straight. If I was to do it again, I would spread joint compound over the top of my plaster road, let it dry, and then smooth it with a damp sponge. When I was a kid, I actually built a "paving machine" modeled after one I saw being used in real life on an adjacent street. I loaded the thing with plaster and pushed it along, and it would lay a relatively uniform sheet of plater pavement.

Speaking of plaster roads, these are among the best I have seen - look under the "Orangeville" section for pictures and a short description of the process.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Homepage.asp">http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Homepage.asp</a><!-- m -->

Andrew

nachoman Wrote:The last time I modeled a paved road, I spread a thin layer of plaster, then painted it an asphalt color. I would lay some kind of "curbing" (usually strips of basswood) to serve as a both an edge and a screed to help keep the surface uniform and the edges straight. If I was to do it again, I would spread joint compound over the top of my plaster road, let it dry, and then smooth it with a damp sponge. When I was a kid, I actually built a "paving machine" modeled after one I saw being used in real life on an adjacent street. I loaded the thing with plaster and pushed it along, and it would lay a relatively uniform sheet of plater pavement.

Kevin,
It's funny you should mention bass wood. When I was up at the LHS talking to one of the guys up there who is a pretty accomplished layout builder and he told me he uses bass wood for concrete roads and add curbing and sidewalks by gluing narrower strips of bass wood on top of the piece he uses for the roads I believe he mentioned 4" wide. He gives them a coating of concrete paint that then a wash of diluted grimy black or something similar. As he explained it to me the grain on the bass wood is so fine it doesn't show up when you paint it. He also makes retaining walls pretty much the same way but standing them on their edge of course.

for asphalt i use a heavy tar paper for concrete i'v use both plaster (a bit messy) or stryeen . as for cutting plastic I have used a use a ratary paper cutter for the last three years on light .020 and under i cut it off with the cutter on heaver stuff i score and snap just like with a #11 blade. did try a knife paper cutter and it worked ok(more or less) on .020 and under it tended to tear not cut on thicker stuff . on a side note we tried a metal shear at work and it cuts .080 realy clean and fast.
jim

To make roads, I spread some Dap (it's a wood or drywall filler) down where I want the road to be. I then smooth it down to how I want it with a plaster tool. After it has dried (it's pinkish at first but dries white), I then sand it.

After that, I paint some of Woodland Scenics black top asphalt on it (I believe this is the product -- <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ehobbies.com/woost1453.html">http://www.ehobbies.com/woost1453.html</a><!-- m -->). Then I add scenery to hide the edges. If a sidewalk is needed, I add that after the Dap has been added but before I do the painting.

HTH,
Rob

I do something similar to Robert except I use joint compound and dye it with Woodland Scenics Stone Gray...

Ralph

it´s easy to cut, sand, paint and even to bend for a realistic profile at grade crossings ...

I use the system from Woodland Scenics. Rather than me re-writing it all, have a look here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.woodlandscenics.com/images/instructions/LK952inst.pdf">http://www.woodlandscenics.com/images/i ... 52inst.pdf</a><!-- m -->
It describes their products and their learning kit. Great if you're not entirely confident or just want to experiment. I can also recommend the book on model railroad scenery by Pele Soeeborg (Kalmbach), who uses this product for making roads too. (see chapter about suburban areas).
Here's an overview: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/RoadSystem">http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics. ... RoadSystem</a><!-- m -->

Hope this helps a bit.

A idea i used on one of my old layout was using cork sheets(about 1/8th inch thick)which i purchased from Home Depot.This product i used to simulate Ashphalt roads(not concrete)This material is easy to cut,and i spray painted the surface using "flat-black" spray paint.The cork material has a texture that looks close to freshly paved ashphalt.I then airbrushed a light coat of light gray paint thinned with 30-40% thinner to give it that weathered exposed look.It turned out quite well.

Has anyone considered the Gary S. method of fine sand paper for asphalt and styrene for concrete? :?:

He seemed to pull that off pretty nicely. :!:

Look at any one of his bridge threads that have roads (i.e., the last one especially.) :mrgreen: